1865-1896

Chapter 26: The Great West and the Agricultural Revolution

• The Clash of Culture on the Plains• In the 1860s why was a clash between Native Americans and expansionists?

• In what ways were migration and conflict common in the West?

• How did horses impact the culture of Native American tribes?

• How did soldiers and settlers undermine the foundations of Native American culture?

• Why were the Treaties of Fort Laramie and Fort Atkinson significant?

• In what ways did white treaty makers not understand Native American culture?

• Only when did Native Americans surrender their ancestral land?

• Who comprised the US Army in the West after the Civil War?

Receding Native Population• What happened at Sand Creek, Colorado in 1864?

• How did the Sioux respond to the building of the Bozeman trail?

• What did the Treaty of Fort Laramie say?

• What happened in 1874 that provoked the Sioux to the warpath?

• How did the US Army respond to the Sioux war party?

• What happened to the Nez Perce tribe in the late 1870s?

• What happened to the Apache tribe?

• How did the government deal with the “problem” of Native Americans?

• What factors led to the taming of the Native American population?

Bellowing Herds of Bison• How did Native Americans use buffalo?

• How did buffalo impact the railroads?

• By 1885 how many buffalo were left?

• The End of the Trail

• Who was Helen Hunt Jackson and what did she write?

• What was the goal of humanitarians at the time and what was the goal of “hard liners”? Is there a difference?

• How did the government respond to the Sun Dance and the Ghost Dance?

• What were the components of the Dawes Severalty Act?

• Describe the government’s attempt to “civilize” the Native American population.

• In what way did the Dawes Act strike at the organization of Native American tribes?

• How did these policies impact the Native American population?

• Mining: From Dishpan to Ore Breaker

• Describe the “fifty niners” or “Pikes Peakers”.

• Why did the fifty niners go to Nevada?

• Describe boomtowns.

• How did the age of big business come to the gold mining industry?

• How did the mining frontier play a vital role in subduing the continent?

• How did gold and silver impact American society?

• Beef Bonanzas and the Long Drive• What was the issue with the long-horned cattle after the Civil War?

• How was this problem solved?

• Describe the “Long Drive”.

• What were some problems that could be encountered along the Long Drive?

• How many cattle were moved between 1866-1888.

• What factor led to the end of the Long Drive?

• In what ways did cattle raising become big business?

• Describe the “hey day” of the cowboy.

• The Farmer’s Frontier• What were the provisions of the Homestead Act?

• In what ways was the Homestead Act a drastic departure from previous government policy?

• Some people thought the Homestead Act was a hoax, why?

• Describe fraud committed by some in relation to the Homestead Act.

• How did railroads impact the settling of the West?

• How did homesteaders break the myth of the Great American Desert?

• What was the 100th meridian and why was it significant?

• Why did Kansas lose half of its population between 1888-1892?

• What was dry farming?

• What were some crops successfully planted in the West?

• Describe the federal irrigation programs.

• The Far West Comes of Age• What states were admitted to the Union during this time period?

• What happened in Oklahoma territory?

• Who were the “sooners”?

• The Fading Frontier• What happened in 1890 that was of significance and who wrote about it?

• The Secretary of War prophesized that it would take 500 years to settle the West. What was the reality?

• What was farmers’ most profitable crop?

• Describe the theory of the safety valve.

• Why didn’t city dwellers typically move West?

• In what ways was the safety valve theory valid?

• What cities were the “safety valve” of the late 19c?

• What role does the Westward moving experience play in American history?

• Culturally what issues were faced in the trans-Mississippi West?

• What role did American government play in the trans-Mississippi West?

• Who immortalized pioneers of the West?

• The Farms Becomes a Factory?• What was the focus of most farmers during this time period?

• In what ways were farmers in the Mississippi Valley both specialists and business people?

• What was the combine?

• How were farms becoming like factories?

• How did farmers impact California?

• Deflation Dooms the Debtor• Farmers were once masters of their own destinies, how did this change?

• How did low prices and the deflated currency impact farmers?

• Define static money supply.

• Describe the cycle that farmers were in during the late 1800s.

• How did interest impact farmers?

• What is “farm tenancy” and why is it significant?

• Unhappy Farmers• How did mother nature impact agriculture?

• What area of the US did floods impact during the 1880s?

• How did the government “gouge” farmers?

• How did businesses and “middle men” impact farmers?

• How did railroad operators deal with farmers?

• Farmers were typically individualistic, why was this problematic?

• The Farmers Take Their Stand

• Historically, how had farmers attempted to deal with low prices and deflation?

• What was the first objective of the Grange?

• How many people joined the Grange?

• How did the Grange’s goals expand?

• Where were Grangers specifically successful politically?

• What were the Granger laws and why weren’t they successful?

• What was the platform of the Greenback Labor party and how successful were they?

• Prelude to Populism

• What did the Farmer’s Alliance fight for?

• How was the Farmer’s Alliance weak?

• Why didn’t farmers of the north and south work together?

• What was the platform of the People’s Party (Populists)?

• Describe Coin’s Financial School.

• Name some of the major contributors of the Populist party.

• How did the Populists impact the election of 1892?

• How did racial divisions impact the Populist party?

• Coxey’s Army and the Pullman Strike• Who did Populists see as potential allies?

• Who was Jacob Coxey and what did he demand?

• What happened to the “Commonweal Army” once they arrived in Washington?

• Describe the Pullman Strike of 1894.

• What role did the American Federation of Labor play in the Pullman Strike?

• What was Olney’s argument regarding the Pullman Strike.

• Who crushed the Pullman Strike and why was Debs sent to prison?

• What does “government by injunction” mean?

• Golden McKinley and Silver Bryan• How did depression and the long-suffering farmers impact the election of

1896?

• Who was the leading candidate for the Republicans?

• Who was Marcus Hanna and how did he “help” McKinley?

• What was the Republican platform?

• What was happening in the Democratic party during this time period?

• Who was the Democratic candidate?

• What was the “Cross of Gold” speech?

• Who were the Democratic “Gold Bugs” and who did they want to win the election?

• What was the “Demo-Pop” party?

• Class Conflict: Plowholders Versus Bondholders• What was the major issue of the campaign of 1896?

• How did the East respond to Bryan?

• What did Hanna do as the chairman of the Republican National Committee?

• Why did Bryan’s campaign lose ground?

• What areas of the US voted for McKinley? What areas voted for Bryan?

• Who didn’t Bryan appeal to and why?

• Describe the “new era” of American politics.

• Bryan’s defeat marked ____________________________________________.

• What did the Republican era usher in?

• Republican Stand-pattism Enthroned• In what ways did McKinley shy away from reform?

• Describe the Dingley Tarriff Bill.

• What happened to the economy in 1897?

• How did gold impact the economy?